Best way to remove rounded bolts?? Frustrated......Please help!

[Fenixfire]

Hey guys,

So I was replacing the timing cover gasket and ran into acouple snags. Namely two hex bolts on the metco bracket. I have a metco 4 lb lower setup and the metco billet bracket to the right of the lower has 3 flush hex bolts holding it onto the timing cover. I was able to remove the lower one but could not get the top two removed. No Allen socket would fit well enough to turn them. The wrench would just turn and turn inside the head. The hex bolts seem to be alittle worse for wear.

I started drilling one of them out and even that isn't working. How can I get these things off? They're the only things left standing in the way of me to pull the timing cover off.

I've tried bolt extractor drill bits and just not getting anywhere. Those bolts are very hard metal which makes me wonder how they got rounded in the first place.

Any suggestions?

 

[mkb116]

Try getting a bigger allen head and pound it in with a hammer... But be careful not to break your timing cover.

Secondly I would try drilling a small down into the bolt, not just the head, then easy out to get it out.

 

[SlowSVT]

I would take a cut-off wheel and cut the Metco bracket away from the bolts exposing them, then use vice grips on the head to back the bolt out.

Those aren't SS bolts are they? Never use SS for high load fastening.

 

[TRBO VNM]

Do not cut the bracket. That's more expensive to replace if something happens and it has to be.

Try and locate a reverse drill bit. A lot of times it will catch and loosen the bolt. If you can't find that, cut through the spacers and through the bolts and it will come off. You can buy replacement bolts and spacers from metco. I just did this for a customers car.

Those do look like the ss bolts which I am shocked by the results. The original black oxide bolts suck and this happens about every time.

 

[shurur]

VIP and other stores sell these splined easy out bits of various sizes....you take one that is slightly large for the hole and pound it in...then carefully turn the bolt out.....my other car is an Audi.....I run across stripped Allen heads all the time...

Irwin also has multi splined screw extractors... They are just short stubby bits you tap in and turn out with a wrench..

They are pretty much not tapered at all...like a larger hex......but multi-splined with straight or biting splines!!!

Like these
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/LIS0/62900/N0673.oap?ck=Search_N0673_-1_-1&pt=N0673&ppt=C0099

Lisle 62900

Good luck

 

[Iamchris]

Large bolt and slightly difficult position for an easy out. If the metal isn't too soft, carefully try to easy out it.

If you jack it up though, you might ruin the hole or end up with an easy out broken off in the head. Be careful... it can get messy from here.

I might do like previously said and try tapping a larger hex into it and try that before going to the easy out.

 

[brian97cobra]

I had this happen to me a few years ago. just drill out the bolt and replace the bolts. just keep stepping up the drill bit size til the bracket is free. basically the head of the bolts will fall off then you can remove the bracket and usually the bolts will thread out by hand at that point or you can use some vise grips to get them out.


here are what mine looked like when I drilled them out several years ago. doing it this way does not damage the bracket or the spacers.

the heads of the bolts pop off and this is what you have

 

[BoostedByV]

I had this happen to me a few years ago. just drill out the bolt and replace the bolts. just keep stepping up the drill bit size til the bracket is free. basically the head of the bolts will fall off then you can remove the bracket and usually the bolts will thread out by hand at that point or you can use some vise grips to get them out.

+2

 

[JDUB348]

Drill a #30 pilot (i think .128 diameter) and smack one of these in there and ratchet it out

I get them for free from Boeing though... ;-)

 

[MaximumVelocity]

Hopefully you have Torx bits (like for the seat belt anchor bolts). I just take a Torx bit (most likely a T45 or T50) and hammer it into the f'd up Allen bolt. You should then be able to unscrew them ...no muss, no fuss.

Good luck, Tim

 

[Midnight_Cobra]

Hopefully you have Torx bits (like for the seat belt anchor bolts). I just take a Torx bit (most likely a T45 or T50) and hammer it into the f'd up Allen bolt. You should then be able to unscrew them ...no muss, no fuss.

Good luck, Tim

As a last result maybe, but no sense in breaking a tool in the process if you can avoid it.

 

[zporta]

Worst case scenario I would drill the heads out so you can get the bracket off in tact then use a dremel to grind a slot in them for a flat head screwdriver

 

[cj428mach]

I had this happen to me a few years ago. just drill out the bolt and replace the bolts. just keep stepping up the drill bit size til the bracket is free. basically the head of the bolts will fall off then you can remove the bracket and usually the bolts will thread out by hand at that point or you can use some vise grips to get them out.


here are what mine looked like when I drilled them out several years ago. doing it this way does not damage the bracket or the spacers.

the heads of the bolts pop off and this is what you have

Thats what I'd do. Don't drill really deep just enough to get the head to pop off. Then you might have a shot after the bracket is off to use a vice grip. If not then you might be able to weld a nut to whats left of the bolt and get it out.

 

[71catruck]

Lot of good ideas, just pick one. Dont do what slowsvt said thats just a stupid idea.

 

[SlowSVT]

Lot of good ideas, just pick one. Dont do what slowsvt said thats just a stupid idea.

Access for getting a drill in there is difficult enough never mind getting it to go straight. If I had to pull the rad and AC condenser to do that! Guess what? ............... That Metco bracket IS GONE! With the time and aggravation saved I'd be happy to buy a new one. That kinda where I think he was at.

EZ out's are a roll of the dice and may or may not work as that cap screws appear to be torqued in pretty hard to strip the hex. If they are SS the metal would be pretty soft where the EZ out may not have hard enough material to grab onto.

If the EZ out doesn't work he can get in there with a right angle grinder he can try to dill out the head of the allan bolt. Either way it's an ugly job hopefully it comes out with the least amount of hassle.

 

[03 silver cobra]

Hammer and chisel sometimes works for me

 

[Mystic03]

or an air hammer..walk it out

 

[Fenixfire]

Thanks for the replies guys! Finally got it off! We were actually able to fit a a hacksaw between the spacer and the bracket and saw the first bolt off. Then took some vice grips and unscrewed the bolt. Then turned the bracket on the other bolt abit and it loosened enough to back it out with an extractor. No damage to the spacers, bracket or timing cover. Think I'm going to get some different bolts that will fit the bracket and cover. What should I use and what head type can I use so this doesn't happen again?

 

[SlowSVT]

Thanks for the replies guys! Finally got it off! We were actually able to fit a a hacksaw between the spacer and the bracket and saw the first bolt off. Then took some vice grips and unscrewed the bolt. Then turned the bracket on the other bolt abit and it loosened enough to back it out with an extractor. No damage to the spacers, bracket or timing cover. Think I'm going to get some different bolts that will fit the bracket and cover. What should I use and what head type can I use so this doesn't happen again?

Problem solved!

Get grade 12.9 (grade 8+) SHCS

Those will be very hard to strip

Try an industrial supply or McMaster-Carr

 

[03redfirevert.]

Oh,h$#l no! Drill the head out with a progressively larger bit till you reach 5/16 The head should fall right off,then just slide the bracket off and then either vise grips or stud extractor for the rest of the bolt

I would take a cut-off wheel and cut the Metco bracket away from the bolts exposing them, then use vice grips on the head to back the bolt out.

Those aren't SS bolts are they? Never use SS for high load fastening.